It is common practice in the field of agriculture and gardening to use so called mulches. The mulches are protective coverings spread or left upon the ground. The mulching material is typically used to cover the soil around the stem of a growing plant and over the roots thereof to screen sunlight from the adjacent soil and thus minimize the growth of weeds.
The mulching material also allows water from irrigation or rain to percolate through to the soil beneath the mulch. The overlying mulch layer will inherently slow the evaporation of water from the soil and, in theory will hold more water near the roots of the plant to increase its growth. Mulching material may further help in maintaining even soil temperature, preventing erosion, and in some instances may even enrich the soil.
Traditionally, the protective covering has been formed of loose organic material such as leaves, stalks, straw, sawdust, chips of tree bark, peatmoss and the like. Loose inorganic mulching material such as gravel and rock is also occasionally used However, loose material whether of the organic or inorganic type has presented some major drawbacks.
One of such drawbacks is that they are subject to being blown away by the wind. Furthermore, being relatively small in size, the loose particles have a tendency to be worked into the soil. In either case, the mulch material as such is lost. Also, the mulch formed by loose inorganic or organic material becomes relatively uneven in thickness so that is fails to give adequate service at some locations.
Loose organic material is further subject to deterioration through decay and bacterial action. In some instances loose organic material may even proove to be detrimental to the underlying soil since it potentially promotes growth of undesired pests and also potentially disturbs the delicate acido-basic balance of the soil.
In an effort to circumvent the above-mentioned disadvantages, mulches formed of sheet materials have been developed. The sheet material is typically formed of woven fabric using, different types of yarns including biodegradable yarns and tubular or hollow core yarns containing agents of material to be released such as fertilizers, pesticides and the like. However, the woven fibrous material suffers from deficiencies including limited flexibility and limitation upon the yards, which may be woven.
In an attempt to overcome some of these problems, covering membranes or foils have been developed. Some prior art membranes typically include membranes made out of high-density polyethylene or polyurethane. However, they are also subject to certain short comings since the membranes are normally so thin that they are weak and are easily broken by walking or other traffic. Also, membranes are inclined to be impermeable so that they prevent the proper application of water and fertilizers to the ground beneath.
The relatively thin foils further suffer from being easily picked up by the wind and displaced. Accordingly, it has been a common practice to weigh the foils down by stones or the like which may be randomly placed on the foils. Notwithstanding the fact that this approach can generally serve to hold the foils in place existing membrane-type mulches have the drawback that with time the foil deteriorates by the effect of sunlight and especially the ultraviolet component of sunlight.
Furthermore, the wind can act upon the foil strip between the individual stones which serve to hold the strip in place and in combination with the weakening of the foil by ultraviolet light the wind can damage the foil that is it can tear the foil so that the anti-vegetation effect will be lost. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved mulching structure.
Advantages of the present invention include the fact that the mulching structure in accordance with the present invention allows irrigation of water to easily reach the ground to water the plants while conserving the water by retarding evaporation from the soil. Indeed, the proposed mulching structure is specifically configured to allow both liquids such as irrigation water and liquid fertilizers as well as relatively small particle to fertilizers to reach the plant.
One of the main features of the present invention resides in that it optimized the collection of liquids such as rain falling thereunto and evenly distributes it at predetermined locations. The proposed structure is also specifically adapted to reduce the amount of light rays reaching the soil. The proposed mulching structure thus promotes plant growth while providing weed control.
Its specific reinforced structure will allow a predetermined amount of traffic thereon without damaging the structure. Furthermore, it is optionally provided with a light-reflecting surface so as to increase the overall amount of sunlight imparted on the growing plant.
The mulch device is preferably formed out of an inorganic material so as to prevent decay but may optionally be formed out of biodegradable material if needed. Another main feature of the present invention resides in that the mulch structure in accordance with the present invention is specifically configured so as to be manufacturable using conventional high output production processes such as injection molding so as to provide for a high level of production at a relatively low cost.
proposed structure is adapted to be easaly installed and removed to and from a ground surface without requiring special tooling or manual dexterity. In at least one embodiment of the invention the structure can be dissassembled for maintenance threof.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a mulching structure for allowing an irrigating fluid to reach a soil surface while providing shade to the soil surface from light rays emanating from a light source, the mulching structure comprising a first wall made out of a substantially impermeable material, the first wall defining a first wall outer surface, the first wall being provided with a first wall aperture extending therethrough; a second wall made out of a substantially impermeable material, the second wall defining a second wall outer surface facing in a direction generally oriented opposite the first wall outer surface, the second wall having a second wall aperture extending therethrough; a wall spacing means extending between the first and second walls for maintaining the first and second walls in a wall spaced relationship relative to each other; a fluid guiding and light ray blocking means extending between the first and second wall apertures for allowing through flow of the fluid therebetween while preventing through passage of the light rays from the first wall outer surface to the second wall outer surface.
Preferably, the first wall and the second wall extend in a generally parallel relationship relative to each other; the first wall apertures being configured, sized and positionned so that its geometrical projection on the second wall in a direction perpendicullar to the first wall is offset relative to the second wall aperture; the second wall apertures being configured, sized and positionned so that its geometrical projection on the first wall in a direction perpendicullar to the second wall is offset relative to the first wall aperture.
Conveniently, the mulching structure further comprises a fluid biasing means formed on the first wall for biasing towards the first wall aperture a volume of the fluid having reached the first wall outer surface.
In at least one embodiment of the invention, the first and second wall respectively further define corresponding first and second wall inner surfaces; the wall spacing means includes a spacing protuberance extending from the second wall inner surface, the spacing protuberance defining a protuberance distal section; a spacing recess formed in the first wall inner surface, the spacing recess being configured and sized for receiving the protuberance distal section when the first and second walls are in the wall spaced relationship relative to each other.
Preferably, the spacing protuberance and the spacing recess are configured and sized so as to provide a locking action therebetween. Conveniently, the spacing protuberance and the spacing recess are configured and sized so as to provide a releasable locking action therebetween.
In at least one embodiment of the invention, the spacing protuberance distal section as a generally "arrow-head" cross-sectional configuration defining a dital tip and a pair of retaining shoulders, the spacing recess defining a corresponding pair of retaining ledges for abuttingly contacting the retaining shoulders when the protuberance distal section is inserted within the spacing recess.
Conveniently, the first wall is formed of an integral piece of material defining a base segment and an integrally extending bulging segment, the bulging segment protruding outwardly so as to define an outwardly convex and inwardly concave configuration, the contour of the inwardly concave configuration forming the spacing recess.
Preferably, the first wall defines a guiding groove formed on the first wall outer surface, the guiding groove being configured and positionned so as to guide the fluid towards the first wall aperture. Conveniently, the first wall aperture intercepts the guiding groove.
Preferably, the first wall is formed of an integral piece of material the guiding groove being formed of an inwardly recessed segment. Conveniently, the inwardly recessed segment has a generally "V"-shaped cross-sectional configuration defining an apex, the inwardly recessed segment being configured and sized so that the apex abutingly contacts the second wall. The inwardly recessed segment thus also acts as a solidifying means for solidifying the wall spacing means,
In at least one embodiment of the invention the wall spacing means includes a pair of spacing walls extending from the first wall outer surface to the second wall outer surface, the spacing walls being positionned in a predetermined spaced and generally parallel spacing wall relationship relative to each other, each of the spacing walls defining corresponding spacing wall first and second peripheral edges; the fluid guiding and light ray blocking means including a pair of fluid guiding and light ray blocking walls extending generally diagonally relative to the spacing walls between the first and second wall apertures, each of the fluid guiding and light ray blocking walls defining corresponding fluid guiding and light ray blocking wall first and second peripheral edges; the fluid guiding and light ray blocking wall first peripheral edges and the spacing wall first peripheral edges together defining the first wall; the fluid guiding and light ray blocking wall second peripheral edges and the spacing wall second peripheral edges together defining the second wall.
Preferably, the spacing walls and the fluid guiding and light ray blocking walls are made of an integral piece of material. Preferably, the fluid guiding and light ray blocking wall first peripheral edges extend in a generally perpendicular relationship relative to the spacing wall first peripheral edges; the fluid guiding and light ray blocking wall second peripheral edges extend in a generally perpendicular relationship relative to and the spacing wall second peripheral edges.
In at least one embodiment of the invention, the fluid guiding and light ray blocking walls have a generally rectilinear cross-sectional configuration. In at least one other embodiment of the invention, each of the fluid guiding and light ray blocking walls has a generally "L"-shaped cross-sectional configuration defining a guiding and blocking wall first segment extending substantially perpendicularly from a corresponding fluid guiding and light ray blocking wall first peripheral edge in a direction leading towards the second wall and a guiding and blocking wall second segment extending substantially diagonally from the guiding and blocking wall first segment to a corresponding guiding and light ray blocking wall second peripheral edge.
Optionally, the first wall outer surface has light reflective characteristics. Optionally, the first wall, the second wall, the wall spacing means and the fluid guiding and light ray blocking means are made of a biodegradable material.
Preferably, the first and second wall toghether form a panel, the first and second walls having a plurality of corresponding first and second wall apertures extending therethrough; the panel defining a panel peripheral edge, the panel peripheral edge being provided with a peripheral recess.